Importing Pets

[Kastrs 723]

For those of you who have imported your pet into the US, can you give me some pointers? I am trying to bring my husbands dog from Pakistan to the US on Emirates.

[Amhara 460]

That's too cute! The pup will need to get a vet check up and at least get rabies shots. (http://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dogs.html) If there are other vaccinations you can get from the local vet, try to get them as well, such as kennel cough and parvo. Try to document any recent vet visits the pet may have had in a year, and I would even go so far as to ask for a written statement from the vet about the general health condition of the dog at the time of visit. (Translate the copy if need be.) I suggest this because you want to try to prevent a health confinement at any of the borders he may cross during his trip. (http://www.cdc.gov/Features/TravelWithPets/index.html)

Don't forget to check UAE requirements too, if he's flying through Dubai. Try to take the shortest trip possible. If he's coming through Dubai, for example, he may need a UAE visa to be able to leave the airport and take the pup outside to get out of the kennel. (Air Emirates may be able to sponsor certain types of e-passports. I think Pakistan is on there, but I can't quite remember.)

Oh, and check the state requirements of where you live and/or the POE state too. If one state requires an additional step that the countries you pass through don't, you can still be subject to an isolation time away from your pet.

More websites you need:

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/live-animals/pets/Pages/index.aspx

http://www.skycargo.com/english/products-and-services/live-animals-pets/

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/importexport

Edited August 27, 2015 by Amhara

[Pythos1 24]

I remember thinking about moving to Hawaii from the US mainland, and taking my dogs with me a few years ago. They had requirements that needed to be met then. It included getting the dogs chipped, vaccinated, and the vet sending Hawaii documentation (I couldn't send it, the vet would have had to). Otherwise, the dogs would've been confined to a specific kennel for about a month if I remember right, and all the costs for that confinement would be on me. And it wasn't very cheap.

While my situation involved staying in the US and just going to Hawaii, perhaps some of the information can be useful.

[Arslan12 20]

You will need to get a vet check up and necessary shots. You can probably check with the US embassy website for proper documentation and Visa requirements

[Sawa N Ab 7]

I travel with my dog a few times. We flown from Thailand to USA, USA to Nepal, and Nepal back to USA in the past three years. I am huge fan of qatar airways because they only need a week notice for booking pets and the costs were not bad. I do have a small breed dog but she was in the cargo section.

Entry into the US is easy and all you need is a rabies shot. The rabies shot has to be issued in the last 12 months and you cant travel till after one month that the shot has been issued. The airline will require a health certificate for the animal to fly and if its a dog with restrictions (brand of dogs with short noses like pugs and pittbulls) then a letter from the vet declaring it is safe to fly.

The main issue that you could have is your export visa for your dog from Pakistan which you might have to go to the airport vet or a government vet to issue but once you find the right guy it is very easy to do. Also the export visa/health certificate works for the airline too.

I love traveling with my dog and I love traveling to the states because it is so easy. You will pick the dog up at baggage claim, usually they just drop them off near your luggage gate, they are the first things off the plane, you go to the customs gate, declare you have a dog, they look at the rabies shot, and let you through. It so easy if you fly with your dog and I have a feeling if you decided to fly her ahead and pick her up at the cargo department it should be just as easy.

I hope that was helpful.

cheers,

sara

[Sawa N Ab 7]

Also seeing that you are based out of NY so you probably using JFK, they are great. They are building this huge animal facility at the airport and when I flew into JFK my custom experience was a breeze.